]]>UK’s National Archives published 6,785 pages on Thursday, July 12 from Ministry of Defence documents related to UFOs and extraterrestrials. This latest release is the ninth batch of UFO files to be released by the archives since 2008. Former Ministry of Defence (MoD) official UFO investigator Nick Pope told the Telegraph that this latest batch of released files is “absolutely fascinating” and it “contains a huge mixture of material that will be of great interest to anyone fascinated with UFOs.”

Twenty-five files make up these 6,785 pages, and the National Archives explains, “Topics include UFO policy, Parliamentary Questions, media issues, public correspondence, and UFO sighting reports.” The files include many interesting UFO sightings submitted to the MoD–some by pilots, police, and military officials. In case you don’t have the time or desire to read through 6,785 pages of documents, here are five highlights from the latest release:

MoD’s UFO Desk.

This latest release of files includes information about the Ministry of Defence’s “UFO desk.” Although many media outlets are reacting like this is the first mention of this post within the MoD, the UFO desk has been public knowledge for quite some time. Nick Pope, who is quoted in nearly every article related to UFOs in the UK, ran the MoD’s UFO desk from 1991 to 1994. However, the recently released information related to the UFO desk is mildly interesting. Documents detail the duties of the UFO desk officer, and the actual internal job posting for the position is in the files as well.

The need for a full UFO study.

A document contains a 1995 briefing by a UFO desk officer who cited the need for a “full study of UFO data as national security implications have never been properly assessed.” The officer states in the briefing, “The national security implications are considerable. We have many reports of strange objects in the skies and we have never investigated them.”

MoD officer suggests capturing a UFO to gain its technology.

In the briefing document mentioned above, this same UFO desk officer suggests capturing UFO technology for UK use. The officer states, “If reports are taken at face value then devices exist that do not use
conventional reaction propulsion systems, they have a very wide range of speeds and are stealthy. I suggest that we could use this technology, if it exists.”

Keeping tabs on ufologists.

The files contain a copy of a 1996 Parliamentary Question from Martin Redmond MP asking if MI6 and GCHQ monitors UFO investigations, or keeps tabs on ufologists. The National Archives summarizes the response contained in the files, explaining that a background briefing says “neither agency in fact undertakes such activity, though GCHQ cannot rule out the possibility” they had monitored “in other contexts individuals who have made a study of UFOs.”

Tony Blair’s UFO briefing.

Former British prime minister Tony Blair was briefed on UFO documents. As the Metro explains, the MoD documents show “the former Labour leader was apparently concerned about information on the unidentified objects being released to the public, as a result of the impending Freedom of Information Act, so decided to find out what facts existed.” This came after author and researcher Nick Redfern urged him to “consider making available for public scrutiny all of the many and varied UFO reports compiled by the government.”

The MoD UFO files will be available on the National Archives website soon, but for now, you can access them on the Telegraph‘s website.

]]>http://www.openminds.tv/top-5-revelations-from-the-newly-released-mod-ufo-files-797/15987/feed0Saudi Arabia business forum posts videos of UFO lectureshttp://www.openminds.tv/saudi-arabia-forum-videos-ufo-lectures-627/8401
http://www.openminds.tv/saudi-arabia-forum-videos-ufo-lectures-627/8401#commentsTue, 08 Mar 2011 18:52:07 +0000http://www.openminds.tv/?p=8401In late January 2011, business leaders from around the world met in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for the 5th annual Global Competitiveness Forum and of the many issues tackled UFOs and extraterrestrial life was one of them.

In late January 2011, business leaders from around the world met in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia for the 5th annual Global Competitiveness Forum and of the many issues tackled UFOs and extraterrestrial life was one of them. Now they have put videos of the event on YouTube for all to see. You can view them below.

World Leaders such as Tony Blair and Bill Clinton attended the conference, although they did not attend the UFO portion of the event. Leaders in UFO research were on hand to discuss its validity and potential for the advancement of global business. Jacques Vallee, a computer scientist, venture capitalist and long-time UFO researcher was among the speakers, as well as physicists, Dr. Michio Kaku and Stanton Friedman, author and journalist, Nick Pope, who worked for the UK Ministry of Defence investigating UFOs, and Dr. Zaghloul El Naggar, an accomplished and well respected professor of earth sciences. The UFO section of the event was called Contact: Learning from Outer Space, and was moderated by Harvard business professor, John Quelch.

The website for the event describes the UFO portion as:

Psychological and socio-cultural assumptions and preconceptions constrain us to a large extent, and shape our views of the universe so that we are inclined to find what we are looking for, and fail to see what we are not. Using knowledge gained from research in the fields of Ufology and the search for extraterrestrial life, what might we possibly learn about hindrances to innovation in other areas of inquiry?

The sponsor of the entire event, by the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA), describes itself as the “guardian angel” of business in Saudi Arabia. An impressive and important event, their website describes the event as:

The Global Competitiveness Forum (GCF), the only event of its kind, is an annual meeting of global business leaders, international political leaders, and selected intellectuals and journalists brought together to create a dialogue with respect to the positive impact organizational and national competitiveness can have on local, regional and global economic and social development. It was founded in 2006 by the Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority (SAGIA), and is held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia under the patronage of HM King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.

Jacques Vallee's presentation. (image credit: GCF2011)

Here are videos of the UFO portions of the event.

Jacques Vallee: General Partner, SBV Venture Partners

Michio Kaku: Professor of Theoretical Physics, City University of New York, Host of Sci Fi Science on the Discovery/Science TV Channel

Nick Pope: Author, Journalist

Stanton Friedman: Nuclear Physicist, Lecturer, Author

Zaghloul El Naggar: Professor of Earth Sciences

For more on the GCF you can visit their official website here. To watch more videos from the event you can visit their YouTube page here.